Baker, Grandal share thoughts on blocking the plate

San Diego Padres' Carlos Quentin, left, knocks the ball loose as he plows into New York Mets catcher Josh Thole during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 3, 2012 in San Diego. Quentin scored on an RBI-double by Yonder Alonso. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
— AP

San Diego Padres' Carlos Quentin, left, knocks the ball loose as he plows into New York Mets catcher Josh Thole during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, Aug. 3, 2012 in San Diego. Quentin scored on an RBI-double by Yonder Alonso. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
/ AP

Padres catchers Yasmani Grandal and John Baker are of the same mind when it comes to one of baseball’s more controversial plays – the catcher blocking the plate against a charging runner.

“Avoid at all costs,” Baker said Saturday afternoon.

Grandal nodded in agreement.

“There is no way a catcher wins in those situations,” Baker said as he reviewed the key play in Friday night’s Padres-Mets game at Petco Park – former University of San Diego High linebacker/running back Carlos Quentin knocking the ball out of the mitt of Mets catcher Josh Thole to score the decisive run.

Although Quentin hit Thole a square blow, the thrust of the Padre’s charge was borne by the over-sized glove that Thole was using to catch knuckballer R.A. Dickey. Neither Thole or Quentin were hurt on the play and both were back in their respective lineups Saturday night.

“It was a fair play,” said Quentin. “I wanted to make just enough contact to knock the ball loose and score.”

But Baker, who also said Friday’s play was fair, believes full-on collisions at home plate should be eliminated.

“I thought after the injury to Buster Posey last year that something might be done,” said Baker. “That is the only play in sports where one player with a 30-yard running head start gets to run over another player.

“Imagine if hitters were allowed to run over the first baseman on close plays at the bag. And don’t tell me the catcher is protected. He’s not . . . there’s not that much padding, a football player is far better protected.”

“That’s a scary play. And there is too much on the line. Careers have ended or been shortened in some of those situations.”

Baker and Grandal recalled a conversation they had about catching in the major leagues shortly after Grandal was promoted from Triple-A last month.

“I told Yasmani we need you in the lineup, don’t be blocking the plate,” said Baker.

But a pretty good catcher had already had the same conversation with Grandal. “Johnny Bench told me the same thing,” said Grandal of the Hall of Famer.

“What do I do?” said Baker. “I show the runner the corner of the plate. I position myself just off the plate to force him to take that corner, putting myself in a spot where I can catch the ball and dive into the runner at the plate. He slides. I dive on top him. No one gets hurt.”

“Show the runner the corner is what I was taught, too,” said Grandal. “I am being honest. I am not blocking the plate against Quentin. I am not that big (210 pounds spread over a 6-foot-2 frame). Carlos (6-2, 235) is built like a truck.”

The Padres catchers also agreed that the over-sized mitt Thole was using to corral Dickey’s knuckleball was another factor in Quentin successfully knocking the ball out of the Thole’s possession.

Thole admitted he couldn’t close his mitt around the ball like he usually does. “I had a hard time finding the ball and closing the glove around it,” he said.

Replays showed Thole’s throwing hand moving around in the over-sized mitt as Quentin bore down. His hand actually wound up below the ball in the mitt. Quentin, Baker and Grandal believed the size of Thole’s mitt contributed to his not being able to hang onto the ball.

“Probably it was a little odd for (Thole) to make that play with that glove,” said Padres manager Bud Black. “How many times are there plays like that? It looked like he didn’t have a good handle on it.

Padres notes

--Padres right-handed starter Anthony Bass will start a throwing program next week.

--Black Saturday praised the defensive improvement Yonder Alonso has made at first base since the opening weeks of the season. Alonso Friday night made nice scoops on two, one-hop thrown from across the diamond.